Challenge For the 54 lower- and lower-middle-income coastal and island client countries of the World Bank, almost two-thirds of their total territory is ocean (as defined by offshore exclusive economic...

Challenge Mexico is recognized as a global leader in addressing the challenges of climate change. It has enacted one of the most comprehensive legal frameworks on climate change, embraced ambitious targets...

It is siesta time on the outskirts of Canelones, 50 kilometers from the city of Montevideo. The intense sun and temperatures make working after midday impossible. That is why the fields in this area have...

The smoldering Galeras volcano, one of the most active in Colombia, appears to silently watch over the disparate inhabitants of these rich forestlands: human beings, thousands of deer and other animals,...

Mexico’s significant natural resource capital, the high cost of environmental degradation, and the increasing risks posed by climate change highlight the importance of a green-growth agenda addressing...

US$39.5 Million GEF Grant for Biodiversity, Sustainable Land Use and Climate Change Mitigation WASHINGTON DC, November 21st, 2013 – Near one million Mexicans will benefit directly or indirectly from a...

As in a scene of the animated film Rio, animal species that had long disappeared from the steep hills of Morro da Formiga slum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, are little by little making a comeback. “I’ve seen...

Each year, the snow line on the Himalayan and Andean mountain slopes continues to creep up, exposing brown dirt where 50 years ago there was always snow. Communities downstream from those majestic peaks...

While it may be difficult to imagine a clean pig, it is even harder to imagine a pig that helps to protect the environment. Nonetheless, a pig farm in the state of Morelos, Mexico, has achieved both, with...

Nicaragua is what many experts call a paradise of renewable energies: extensive geothermic resources – resulting from its large volcanic chain and seismic activity--, with excellent exposure to the wind...

Many people would agree that Tota Lake, the largest lake in Colombia, is beautiful. At just over 3,000 meters above sea level, it is surrounded by lush countryside and rolling hills. But what is it worth?...

Challenge In the early 2000s, high population growth, rising water demand, and unabated pollution in many unplanned settlements in Brasilia were adversely impacting the quantity and quality of water resources....

Challenge By 2005, the main threats facing the 15,000 square kilometer north/northwestern Atlantic Forest region of Rio de Janeiro State were deforestation and soil erosion, caused by centuries of land...

In Central America, making tortillas on a plancha (flat griddle) over a smoky fire is a way of life. Typically, women spend nearly four hours a day preparing tortillas, frijoles (fried bean paste), and...